Trump leaves Russia and Ukraine to settle war in talks

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Donald Trump said on Monday that Russia and Ukraine will start negotiations “immediately” on preparations for peace talks, but added that he would leave Moscow and Kiev to find a deal without the United States as a mediator.

After a two -hour call with Vladimir Putin, Trump published that “Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations towards the ceasefire, and most importantly, the end of the war.”

But in separate comments, the Russian president seemed more initially about any operation and did not make a fundamental change in the Kremlin position.

In the observations that Washington had retracted the role of as a mediator, Trump said that the “conditions” of the deal can only be negotiated by the warring parties “because they know the details of the negotiation that no one else will realize.

He also said that the Vatican would be “very interested” in hosting conversations, adding: “Let the process begin!”

In his reading of a conversation, Putin said he was “ready to work” with Kyiv on a note to frame future conversations, which could include a ceasefire “for a certain period of time.”

Putin told government media correspondent that the conversation with Trump was “very frank and therefore very useful.” But he did not announce any major transformations in the position of Russia in the war in Ukraine.

The Russian president said: “We have agreed with the American president that Russia will propose it and is ready to work with the Ukrainian side on a memorandum on the possible peace agreement in the future.”

He added that the memo will include “the principles that will be on the peace agreement, the timing of a possible peace agreement” and “a potential ceasefire for a certain period of time, if certain agreements are reached.”

Putin also said that the main goal of Russia was still “eliminating the radical causes of this crisis”, in a language indicating that his main demand remains unchanged.

Last week, his negotiators demanded that Kiev withdraw from its territory areas, including the cities of Jeuseon and Zaburisvia and threatened to occupy more lands in the event of Ukraine’s refusal.

Trump also said that immediately after the invitation with Putin, he presented his novel to the conversation to Ukrainian President Folodimir Zelinski with the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Finland and the European Commission.

A person familiar with the conversation said that the leaders of the call had surprised the description of the American president of what was agreed upon. They added that it was clear that Trump was “not ready for greater pressure” on Putin to come to the negotiating table seriously.

Mirz said that all the participants in the call “reaffirmed their readiness to support Ukraine closely on its way to the ceasefire.”

The phone call came after Putin refused last week to attend peace talks with Ukraine in Turkey, which he himself started, prompting Trump to say that “nothing will happen” until he and the Russian president met personally.

Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have accelerated in recent weeks, as Russia and Ukraine have held direct talks in Istanbul on Friday, the first of which was the beginning of a three -year war.

Trump pledged to end the war on the first day of his second term, but peace has proven far, as both sides are still separated.

In European capitals, leaders fear that Trump could cut a deal with Putin, who tops his maximum demands and sells Ukraine interests on his calf to end the fighting.

Participated in additional reports from Ann Silvin Chasani in Berlin